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Sunday, January 30, 2011

This Never Happens

So, I have a three and a half year old. When he was first born I read Eat, Pray, Love in the middle of the night as a way to keep me awake to nurse (because back then I was paranoid about sleeping through that. With subsequent babies I've learned to just drag them into bed, plug them in and get back to sleep as quickly as possible).

Then about 6 months ago, after a particularly harried day, the fella took over and I left the house, parked the car at a Sonic and read a whole book. In one sitting. It was a book about making a small crafty business work.

So that's two. Two books in three and a half years. That's just sad.

Well, over the past two weeks, I conquered #3. I didn't do it in one sitting or in the wee hours. I read a few pages, even a chapter at a time. And I completed Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver and it was delightful. It's all about the interconnected nature of everything - animals, plants, people, weather, love, death. The whole of everything is connected. It was beautifully written and so very readable, which, I mean come on, it had to be for this milestone to get reached.

And you know what I've found? It makes me sleep better. I read a chapter almost every night and it just helped me to calm and settle and quiet before bed. When I finished my chapter I laid the book down and eased into sleep. Revolutionary.

Normally I either craft or zone out to junk tv until I collapse. Don't get me wrong, I do love me some kids-are-in-bed-tv-time, but often I end up asleep on the couch with a headache and a crick in my neck. This new way is better.

4 comments:

I LOVE that book! Its my favorite Kingsolver book!! She has some other really good ones, but this one is by far the best. I really like Margaret Atwood and Gregory Maguire - you could try one of them next. I wish I could do the one-chapter-before-bed thing, but I always get too into the book and stay up all night to finish it... :)

Yeah, you could keep very content on Kingsolver forever. My favorite author is Haven Kimmel- I would start with a Girl Named Zippy and She Got Up Off The Couch, her memoirs that make me laugh out loud. Also, David Sedairas (sp?) is freakin hilarious. And Jennifer Weiner is the Queen of Quality ChicLit (In Her Shoes is so good. Yay books!

Cast of Characters

Jessa - The Mama: That's me. I'm the crafty one. I spend my days with Dizzy, Fidget, and Hazel and we have one heckuva good time.

Eric - The Fella: He's my lobster. He's just sweet enough to be crafty when pressed, so you'll see some glimpses of him here. But, he's got a full time job and is a full time PhD student, so truly, just glimpses.